students

Ph.D. Thesis: Genetic and molecular bases of bacterial pathogenicity

Supervisors: Vincenzo Scarlato / Davide Roncarati

Biographical note:  M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, master’s thesis in membrane biochemistry and biophysics.

Ph.D. thesis:  Study of the molecular basis of some neurodegenerative diseases

Ph.D. Thesis: Novel algorithm development for gene network analysis to study AGC1 deficiency in oligodendrocyte precursor cells

Supervisor: Federico Giorgi

Biographical note: 

In December 2019, I Graduated with Honors in Molecular and Cell Biology MSc at the University of Bologna. Master thesis on the Impact of fatty acids synthesis inhibition on differentiation and apoptosis in Neuroblastoma.

Ph.D. Thesis: Mitochondrial metabolism in ovarian cancers

Supervisor:  Anna Maria Porcelli

Biographical note: 

In 2017 I got my bachelor’s degree in Biotechnologies at the University of Teramo with a thesis in Molecular Biology on the epigenetic regulation of BDNF gene in psychiatric disorders. In 2020 I got a master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at the University of Bologna with a dissertation in Biochemistry. I spent the research period for the thesis at the University of Cambridge (MRC-MBU), where I investigated the biogenesis of mitochondrial respiratory complex I. After graduation, I earned an AIRC fellowship to develop complex I-deficient ovarian cancer models. Currently, I am a Ph.D. student at the University of Bologna studying mitochondrial metabolism in cancer. 

Ph.D. Thesis: Regulation of the interaction between Integrator and PP2A during transcription

Supervisors: Alessandro Gardini / Giovanni Perini

Biographical note: 

Born in Reggio Calabria on July 23rd, 1996, I got my Bachelor's degree in 2018 at the University of Messina in Biology (grade: 110/110 cum laude). I have studied for 2 years at the Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, getting my Master's Degree on October 22nd, 2020, in Molecular and Cellular Biology (grade: 110/110 cum laude). On January 2020, I moved to Philadelphia to complete my studies at Wistar Institute in Gardini's lab.

On September 2016, I got my Piano degree at Conservatorio Cilea in Reggio Calabria (evaluation: 10/10).

On November 2020, I started my Ph.D. at Wistar Insitute, keeping working in the Gardini Lab.

Ph.D. Thesis: Role of the human SWI/SNF complex subunit ARID1A in female genital cancers.

Supervisor: Rugang Zhang / Giovanni Perini

Biographical note: 

I got my master’s degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology (grade 110/110 cum laude) at the University of Bologna, Italy. In November 2020, I started my Ph.D. at The Wistar Institute, joining Zhang Lab as a Unibo-Wistar exchange student. I’m interested in gene expression regulation and epigenetic mechanisms in cancer.

Ph.D. Thesis: Study of the links between host cell metabolism and the 3D chromatin structure of the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) genome in EBV-driven malignancies

Supervisors: Italo Tempera / Giovanni Perini

Biographical note: 

Graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bologna with a thesis focused on the characterization of the function of a lncRNA involved in response to Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in dopaminergic neurons of Parkinson’s Disease patients using in vitro models of neurons and glial cells.

After his Master’s degree, he continued working at the Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (University of Bologna) in the Frabetti Lab on a new study aimed at clarifying the pathogenesis of Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy 1F/D2 (LGMD1F/D2) and how the pathogenetic mechanism could be related to mutated Transportin3 (mutTNPO3) gene.

In 2020 he joined the Tempera Lab as a UniBO Ph.D. Exchange Student and his current research is focused on studying the interplay between Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and host genomes during latent EBV infection.

Ph.D. Thesis: Use of synthetic biology and biochemistry approaches to unravel the functional and regulative properties of Calvin-Benson cycle enzymes in the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardti

Supervisors: Mirko Zaffagnini / Pierre Crozet / Paolo Trost

Biographical note:  

Graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bologna with a thesis in molecular physiology of plants concerning the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase and its role in conditions of oxygen deficiency.

Currently interested in the study of the functional and structural properties of Calvin-Benson cycle enzymes in Chlamydomonas, with particular attention to the post-translational redox modifications that determine the regulation of their activity in the cellular context.

Ph.D. Thesis: Molecular engineering of the M13 phage into a nanobiotechnological platform for photodynamic, sonodynamic and photothermal cancer therapy

Supervisors: Alberto Danielli / Matteo Calvaresi

Biographical note: 

The research project consists in engineering a vector platform, based on the bacteriophage M13, for selectively killing bacterial or tumor cells in photodynamic, sonodynamic or photothermal therapy (PDT, SDT, PTT) applications. [Il progetto di ricerca consiste nell'ingegnerizzazione di una piattaforma di vettori, basata sul batteriofago M13, per l'eliminazione selettiva di cellule batteriche o tumorali in applicazioni di terapia fotodinamica, sonodinamica o fototermica (PDT, SDT, PTT)]

Ph.D. thesis: Engineering of an orthogonal phage-vector platform for photosonodynamic therapy of Neuroblastoma

Supervisors: Giovanni Perini / Alberto Danielli 

Biographical Note: Graduated in Human Genetics from the Centre for Human Genetics (Hazara University, 2019). Previously, his research focused on Mitochondrial DNA and Genetic disorders in the Afghan population. Currently, his Ph.D. project focuses on Nanomedicine, Biosensor, Chemical, and Synthetic Biology, as well as the advanced molecular techniques for the manipulation of M13 Filamentous Phage against Neuroblastoma

Ph.D. Thesis; Regulation of gene expression in tumors

Supervisors: Giovanni Perini / Giorgio Milazzo

Biographical note:

Graduated with honors in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Bologna in October 2021. Research background in transcriptional regulation and epigenetics in cancer biology.

Ph.D. Thesis: Phylogenetic and functional characterization of human and environmental microbial communities: a study of the interactions between microorganisms and habitats

Supervisors: Beatrice Vitali / Carola Parolin

Biographical note:

Feb 2021: Master's Degree with Honours in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Bologna, with a master thesis titled ‘Vaginal lactobacilli in planktonic and biofilm form, an anti-Candida activity study.’

Interested in human microbiota with a focus on the beneficial interactions with hosts. 

Ph.D. Thesis: Study of the interaction between PP2A and Integrator and its regulation during transcription; structural and functional characterization of INTS6.

Supervisors: Giovanni Perini / Alessandro Gardini

Biographical note:

Graduated (Laurea degree) with honors in Biotechnology at the University of Bologna in July 2018 (title of the thesis: "Strategies and protocols for the design by Ampliseq of a complete panel for the study of somatic mutations in the feline species using NGS technologies").

Graduated (Master Science) with honors in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Bologna in March 2021 (title of the thesis: "Molecular-genetic analysis of the role played by abnormal wing discs, a homolog of the NME1-2 metastasis suppressor genes, in the development of Drosophila melanogaster").

He is currently enrolled in the UniBo – Wistar Institute Ph.D. Exchange Program, and he is working in the Gardini Lab in Philadelphia (PA), USA. He is studying the interaction between PP2A and the Integrator complex as well as the regulation of this interaction during transcription. He is also characterizing the structure and functions of INTS6, a subunit of Integrator.

Ph.D. Thesis: Tumor metastasis and microenvironment: models and mechanisms

Supervisors: Giovanni Perini / Alessandro Gardini

Ph.D. Thesis: Mechanisms of genomic instability in tumors

Supervisors: Giovanni Capranico / Marco Russo

Biographical note: Graduated with honors in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (LM-09), in March 2021, at the University of Bologna, with a master's thesis in "Functional characterization of innate immune genes in human lung cancers through genomic data analyses."

Ph.D. Thesis: Regulation of gene expression in tumors

Supervisors: Giovanni Perini / Giorgio Milazzo

Biographical note:

He graduated with a degree in Biology at the University of Padova, with a specialization in Microbiology and Virology at the University of Brescia Postgraduate School. He is an upper-secondary-school tenured teacher. Interested in the regulation of gene expression in cancer.

Ph.D. Thesis: Genetic factors in the pathogenesis of autism

Supervisors: Elena Maestrini / Elena Bacchelli

Biographical note:

Ph.D. Thesis: Physiological and molecular characterization of the cytochrome b561 protein family in Arabidopsis thaliana: the role of redox homeostasis in the transitions between developmental stages of Arabidopsis.

Supervisors: Francesca Sparla / Paolo Trost

Biographical note:

• October 2018: graduated with honors in Biological Sciences (Bachelor's Degree) at the University of Bologna.
• March 2021: graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology (Master's Degree) at the University of Bologna with a thesis in molecular plant physiology ("Phenotypic characterization of CYB561-A and SDR2 mutant Arabidopsis thaliana plants").
• November 2021: started the Ph.D. program at the Laboratory of Molecular Plant Physiology at the University of Bologna.

Ph.D. Thesis: Use of bioenergetically active membranes for the study of environmental friendly solvents

Supervisor:  Francesco Francia, co-supervisor: Anna Maria Ghelli

Biographical note:

March 2021: Graduation in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bologna with a thesis on the redox regulation of the cytosolic GAPDH of A. thaliana and its aggregation primed by long-lasting glutathionylation.

Ph.D. Thesis: Molecular, genomic and functional study of the interaction between microorganisms and biochar for the industrial sustainability

Supervisor: Martina Cappelletti

Ph.D. Thesis: Valorization of wastewater for the production of natural products through the use of microalgae and cyanobacterial systems

Supervisor:  Francesca Sparla; co-supervisor: Paolo Trost

Biographical note:

Graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bologna with a thesis on heterologous expression in the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis of recombinant proteins with degradative action on lignocellulosic biomass.

Currently, her Ph.D. project focuses on the growth of photosynthetic microorganisms (algae and cyanobacterial) on industrial dairy waste for the production of high-value biomass. 

Ph.D. Thesis: Natural and modified bacteriophages in the sustainable control of porcine post-weaning diarrhea

Supervisor: Alberto Danielli; co-supervisor: Paolo Trevisi

Ph.D. Thesis: Research on how high blood acetate levels that occur following alcohol consumption alter tumor metabolism, immune cell function, inflammation and steatosis using transgenic mouse models

Supervisors: Zachary T. Schug / Giovanni Perini

Biographical note:

Obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of Bologna in October 2019 (110/110 with honors) with a thesis titled (translated from Italian): “Structural and functional characterization of the phosphoribulokinase of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutated by deletion of the Clamp-loop structural domain” (Supervisor: Prof. Francesca Sparla – University of Bologna). Obtained his Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology from the University of Bologna in March 2022 (110/110 with honors) with a thesis titled: “Three-dimensional imaging of mitochondrial reticulum morphology in muscle regeneration by confocal super-resolution microscopy” (Supervisors: Prof. Gyorgy Szabadkai – University College London; Prof. Anna Maria Porcelli – University of Bologna). Currently studying, as a UNIBO Ph.D. candidate, the role of acetate metabolism in cell-mediated immune responses against cancer by applying metabolomic approaches to in vivo and in vitro models under the supervision of Dr. Zachary T. Schug at The Wistar Institute (Philadelphia, PA).

Ph.D. Thesis: Characterization of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in pathogenic bacteria.

Supervisors: Davide Roncarati / Vincenzo Scarlato

Biographical note:

Graduated with honors in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Bologna with a master’s thesis titled “Design and validation of a reporter system for in vivo characterization of the essential regulator HP1043 in Helicobacter pylori and screening of potential inhibitors”.

Ph.D. Thesis: Waste-to-material recycling aimed at second-generation carbon-based materials: microbial functionalization and bioremediation applications

Supervisor: Martina Cappelletti

Biographical note:

Graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bologna with a master’s thesis on stress response and resistance mechanisms to metals in the bacterial strain Rhodococcus aetherivorans BCP1.

Ph.D. Thesis: Study of the initial stages of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae and Klebsiella pneumoniae infections as a target for the development of an innovative antimicrobial therapy.

Supervisor: Marco Rinaldo Oggioni

Biographical note:

2019: Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology at the University of Bologna.

2022: Master’s degree in Industrial and Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Bologna with a thesis entitled: Study of the hypothetical role of the endo-α-N-1,3-acetylgalactosaminidase of Streptococcus pneumoniae in cellular auto-aggregation and biofilm formation.

After graduation, I was a research collaborator studying bacteria-macrophage interactions in RAW 264.7 and THP-1 cell lines, performing macrophage infection and phagocytosis experiments. The bacteria under study were Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Since November 2022, I have been holding a position as a Ph.D. student in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the Pharmacy and Biotechnology Department of the University of Bologna.

Ph.D. Thesis: Study of the ChAHP complex role in the R-loops resolution

Supervisors: Kavitha Sarma / Giovanni Perini

Biographical note:

Graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bologna. Title of the thesis: “Study of a putative functional axis MYCN-E2F3a-KAT2A in Neuroblastoma cell lines.”

Ph.D. Thesis: Biochemical mechanisms and cellular consequences of mitochondrial cation flux: from bioenergetics to metabolic rewiring.

Supervisor: Anna Maria Porcelli, Co-supervisor: Anna Maria Ghelli

Biographical note:

I got my bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences in 2019 at the University of Bologna, where I continued my studies and got a master's degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology in 2022. Currently working as a Ph.D. student on cancer metabolism with a focus on mitochondria.

Ph.D. Thesis: Unscheduled activation of replication origins and replicative stress as key points of micronuclei formation.

Supervisor: Giovanni Capranico;  Co-supervisor: Jessica Marinello

Biographical note:

Graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bologna in March 2022 with a master’s thesis in Molecular Mechanisms of Diseases. 

Ph.D. Thesis: Nanobiotechnological engineering of the M13 phage for targeted photosonodynamic cancer therapy

Supervisors: Alberto Danielli, Paolo Emidio Costantini

Biographical note: Bachelor Thesis in Plant Biotechnology (“Characterization of the ftsZ genes in Sphagnum papillosum”) in 2020, Master Thesis in Genetics and experimental Bioinformatics (“Regulation of pSYSA copy number through a small protein and a noncoding RNA”) in 2022 at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany

Ph.D. Thesis: Study of natural insect antagonists and associated symbionts aimed at the identification of bioinsecticides

Supervisor: Valeria Cavaliere

Biographical note:  My name is Mattia Longanesi, and I’m a Ph.D. student at the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology of the University of Bologna. My research interests focus on the development of biological bioinsecticides in order to preserve the environmental ecosystem from chemical insecticides. Due to my participation in the associative life of various scout groups for many years, I really like being in a group and making new connections. Thanks to these experiences, I like working in a research team where each member is focused on achieving the final result. Lastly, I love traveling to improve my intuitive abilities and social experiences.

Ph.D. Thesis: Development of phage nanoparticles for non-invasive neuronal photostimulation

Supervisors: Alberto Danielli / Valentina Castagnola

Biographical note:

Graduated in Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology at the University of Bologna in December 2021 with a joint thesis with the Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology (NSYN) of the Italian Institute of Technology in Genova.The dissertation thesis aimed at obtaining a phage-based nanoplatform for specific targeting of neuronal populations. These themes were then further investigated during a one-year fellowship at NSYN and will be carried on during the Ph.D. period.

Ph.D. Thesis: Development of nutraceuticals enriched in bioactive molecules from waste and by-products of the food industry through biotechnological processes based on strains of lactic bacteria and yeast.
Supervisor(s): Beatrice Vitali/Francesca Patrignani
Biographical note: Graduated in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bologna with a thesis on calcium homeostasis in the central nervous system and its role in Alzheimer’s disease and Fabry’s disease. Currently, her Ph.D. project focuses on the development of GABA produced by lactic acid bacteria and the functional activity of this product on the gut and central nervous systems.

Ph.D. Thesis: Inhibition of innate immunity-related gene expression via autophagy induction after G4 binder treatments in cancer cells

Supervisor(s): Giovanni Capranico Co-Supervisor: Giulia Miglietta

Biographical note: Graduate cum laude in Cellular and Molecular Biology in March 2022, at the University of Bologna, with a master's thesis concerning the “Activation of Interferon–dependent Pathways by G4 Binders in Murine Fibrosarcoma Cells”.

Ph.D. Thesis: CAR T engineering for a functional HIV cure

Supervisors: Giovanni Perini / Daniel Claiborne

Biographical note: In October 2022, I graduated with honors in Molecular and Cell biology at the University of Bologna with a thesis on Molecular Genetics titled “MYCN overcomes RB1 function in high-risk Neuroblastoma”. In November 2022 joined the Wistar Institute of Philadelphia as a UniBO Ph.D. exchange student to work in Daniel Claiborne’s lab. My current research focuses on optimizing CAR T cell therapies for a functional HIV cure. Besides, through utilizing humanized mice as a model, I am working to uncover the mechanisms of CAR T dysfunctional phenotypes in chronic diseases, such as exhaustion.

Ph.D. Thesis: Generation and characterization of 3D bioprinted human endometrial cancer models

Supervisor: Sabrina Angelini

Co-Supervisors: Giovanni Capranico, Gloria Ravegnini

Biographical note:

Graduated with honours in Health Biology at the University of Bologna, in October 2022, with a thesis on the analysis of circulating microRNAs as potential predictive biomarkers in ovarian cancer.

Ph.D. Thesis: Development and functional characterization of a Drosophila genetic model to study Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syndromes (MDDS).

Supervisors: Roberto Bernardoni / Giovanni Perini

Biographical note: Graduated with honors in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Lecce in October 2022 with a Master's Thesis entitled “Evaluation of the expression of transposable elements in the nervous tissue of Drosophila melanogaster at various developmental stages”. 

Ph.D. Thesis: Development of a DNAzyme microglia immunomodulator toward exosomal miRNA in in vitro model

Supervisors: Giampaolo Zuccheri / Barbara Monti

Biographical note: I graduated in biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology at the University of Namur in Belgium with a master's thesis on the characterization of mitochondrial dynamics in lung cancer cells after X-rays exposure. 

Ph.D. Thesis: Engineering of bacterial Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs) as specific RNA drug delivery vehicles in osteosarcoma therapy

Supervisors: Davide Roncarati/Andrea Vannini

Biographical note: In December 2022, I graduated with honors in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Bologna. My master's thesis was titled “Re-engineering of phage M13 for biosensing: a phage-mediated microprocessor based on fluorescence complementation”.

Ph.D. Thesis: Development of a multidirectional approach for drug repurposing

Supervisors: Francesco Musiani / Anna Maria Ghelli

Biographical note: Claudio Pino graduated in 2021 in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology at the University of Bologna with a thesis entitled "Study of the bifidogenic activity of Lactobacillus spp. isolated from pregnant women".  After graduation, he took part in a 6-month post-graduate internship in Medical Genetics at the Sant'Orsola-Malpighi Hospital to identify new anticancer therapies. Then, he moved to Prof. Musiani's laboratory to study the computational analysis method in the same field. Eventually, he started a Ph.D. programme in Cellular and Molecular Biology with a project focused on developing a multidirectional approach for drug repurposing using HPC solvers.

Ph.D. Thesis: Role of the PRR12 factor in Neurodevelopmental Visual Disorders (NDVDs).

Supervisors: Giovanni Perini, co-supervisor:  Barbara Monti

Biographical note: Graduated with honors in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Bologna in October 2022 with a thesis on the characterization of the CoREST complexes biological and transcriptional function in neuroblastoma.

Ph.D. Thesis: Investigating EBV latent infection-driven CpG Island Methylation Phenotype in epithelial cancers

Supervisors: Paul Lieberman / Giovanni Perini

Biographical note:

I graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Bologna in March 2022, with a thesis titled (translated from Italian): 'Use of C2C12 Murine Myoblasts and Zebrafish Embryos as Models to Study the Pathogenetic Role of TNPO3 Protein in the Insurgence of Human LGMD D2 Disease' (Supervisor: Prof. Flavia Frabetti – University of Bologna).

During 2022 and 2023, I continued working on my master's degree project as a research fellow at the University of Bologna under the supervision of Prof. Giovanna Cenacchi and Prof. Flavia Frabetti, developing a strong interest in gene regulation and biomedical research.

In November 2023, I joined the Paul M. Lieberman lab at the Wistar Institute as a Unibo Ph.D. exchange student, where I am focusing on the role of EBV latent infection in driving the CIMP phenotype in cancers.

Ph.D. Thesis:  Characterization of the C-terminal region of NDRG1, a protein involved in cancer development

Supervisors: Barbara Zambelli / Stefano Ciurli

Ph.D. Thesis:  Definition of novel therapeutic approaches in high-risk Neuroblastoma tumors

Supervisors: Giovanni Perini / Francesco Chemello

Biographical note:  I graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bologna in December 2021. Research background in transcriptional regulation and epigenetics of cancer biology with a focus on protein-protein interaction analysis.

Ph.D. Thesis: Targeting epigenetic control of clock genes in Neural Stem Cells in Alzheimer’s Disease

Supervisors: Barbara Monti / Kamil Musilek

PhD Thesis: Tailored DNA/RNA Suits for Immunogens

Supervisors: Amelia Escolano / Giovanni Perini 

Biographical Note:

I completed my Bachelor's in Microbiology from Government College University Faisalabad, Pakistan. Following that, I pursued my Master's degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at the University of Bologna, Italy. During my Master's thesis research in Professor Giovanni Perini's lab, I focused on Orthogonal M13 Phage-based Photodynamic Therapy of Neuroblastoma, which ignited my passion for innovative medical research. Currently, I am immersed in my doctoral studies at The Wistar Institute (USA), where I am engaged in cutting-edge research on utilizing aptamers for the immunomodulation of HIV epitopes under the supervision of Dr. Amelia Escolano. My research aims to produce broadly neutralizing antibodies (BnAbs), offering a promising avenue for enhancing immunity against HIV.

Ph.D. Thesis: Identification and functional characterization of extracellular vesicles involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's Disease: focus on miRNAs as inflammatory modulators and biomarkers

Supervisors: Francesca Massenzio / Barbara Monti

Brief biographical note:  Master's Degree in Medical Biotechnology, University of Bologna. Bachelor's Degree in Biotechnology, University of Modena

Ph.D. Thesis:  Study of neuronal molecular alterations in Angelman syndrome

Supervisors: Barbara Monti / Cristina Alberini

Biographical note:  Cecilia is currently a Ph.D. student at the FaBit Department of the University of Bologna. Her research focuses on the study of Angelman Syndrome, which is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder. Prior to her current endeavors, Cecilia graduated in Biology in December 2020. Subsequently, she pursued a Master's degree in Cell and Molecular Biology, successfully completing her studies in 2023 at the University of Bologna.

Supervisors: Andrea vannini / Davide Roncarati

Biographical note:  

May 2020:Bachelor’s degree in biological science at the University of Catania, graduated with honors. Thesis in Clinal Microbiology (Title: Phenotypical and molecular characterization of clinical samples of Staphylococcus spp. : a proposal for External Quality Assessment (EQA) by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID))

March 2023: graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology MSc at the University of Bologna. Master thesis in molecular microbiology (Title: Characterization of hypothetical thermosensors: 5'UTR analysis of site-specific bacterial recombinations).

Ph.D. project:  The microbiology and the biotechnology potential of subterranean ecosystems as a resource of biodiversity and subterranean waters to protect

Supervisors: Martina Cappelletti / Francesco Sauro

Biographical note: March 2022: graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology MSc at the University of Bologna. Master thesis in environmental microbiology (Title: Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of microorganisms isolated from caves characterized by peculiar enzymatic and antimicrobial activities)

Ph.D. Thesis: Role of TERRA in Telomere Maintenance and Telomere Stress Response

Supervisors: Paul Lieberman /  Giovanni Perini

Biographical note:  I obtained a M.Sc. degree (double degree) at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” in 2022.

While I was an undergraduate, during my defense preparation, I was a visiting fellowship at the University de Paris for a period of 1-year and, here, under the supervision of Dr. Iléana Antony Debré, I got my Master II in Genetics. During my scholarship at Gustave Roussy Institute, I have been actively involved in several research studies, which allowed me to acquire broad expertise in several areas of Hematology, specifically in the mechanisms that regulate no-solid tumors, such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myeloproliferative disease.

I am currently enrolled in the UniBo – Wistar Institute Ph.D. Exchange Program, under the supervision of Dr. Paul Lieberman. My project delves deep into the intricate interactions between TERRA and human telomeres, holding promise for uncovering crucial mechanisms underlying genetic instability in cancer and related genetic instability syndromes.

 Ph.D. Thesis: The impact of the epigenetic modifier PADI4 on p53 function

Supervisors: Maureen Murphy / Giovanni Perini

Biographical note: Born in Perugia on December 26, 1998, I got my bachelor's degree in biotechnology in October 2020 at the University of Perugia with a thesis focused on the fluorescence quenching mechanism of methyl pyridine iodide salts complexed with DNA.

In December 2022, I graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology after a master's degree internship in the "Experimental Oncology Laboratory" of Professor Scotlandi Katia at Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, where I investigated the onco-suppressive role of Lamin A in Ewing sarcoma.

In November 2023, I joined the Maureen Murphy Lab at the Wistar Institute as a UniBo PhD exchange student. Here, my research focuses on understanding how the citrullination of p53 by PADI4 affects the transcriptional regulation and tumor suppression activity of p53.

Ph.D. Thesis:  Study of a new class of plant enzymes involved in redox homeostasis with still unknown functional plasticity using biologically integrated approaches

Supervisors: Mirko Zaffagnini / Paolo Bernardo Trost

Biographical Note:

March 2020: Bachelor’s degree in Biology at the University of Bologna.

March 2023: Master’s degree with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bologna with a thesis entitled: Analysis of the functional and regulatory characteristics of a new class of enzymes involved in GSNO homeostasis.

Since November 1st, 2024: Ph.D. student in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the Pharmacy and Biotechnology Department of the University of Bologna with a project focused on studying a new class of plant enzymes involved in redox homeostasis with still unknown functional plasticity using biologically integrated approaches.

Ph.D. Thesis:  Role of splicing factors in the regulation of intronic cleavage and polyadenylation in cancer

Supervisors: Bin Tian / Giovanni Perini 

Biographical note:  I graduated with honors in Health Biology at the University of Bologna in March 2023 with a master's thesis on the biological properties of Ribosome Inactivating Proteins (RIP) from Sambucus nigra. In 2023, I attended the research unit of Medical Genetics as a graduate student at Sant'Orsola Hospital (Bologna), where I acquired computational skills to analyze genetic data. In November 2023, I enrolled in the UNIBO-The Wistar Institute Ph.D. Exchange program in Dr. Bin Tian's lab, where I study the relationship between splicing, alternative polyadenylation, and cancer.

Ph.D. thesis:  Immune-focusing of hemagglutinin head domain for influenza vaccine

Supervisors: Daniel Kulp / Giovanni Perini

Biographical Note:

In 2020 I got my bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from the University of Bologna with a thesis on Molecular engineering, "Phage-mediated photosonodynamic therapy for Ewing Sarcoma" (110/110 cum laude).

In 2023, I graduated with honors from A Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology Master's degree from the University of Bologna. Before obtaining my degree, I spent six months in Ceroni's Lab at Imperial College London, where I worked on small activating RNAs, developing a synthetic biology platform to modulate gene expression in mammalian cell lines. Master's thesis title: "Investigation of small activating RNAs as tools for gene expression control" (110/110 cum laude).

I am an Alumni of Collegio Superiore of the University of Bologna. The scholarship-based prestigious Institute for Excellence Studies offers the opportunity to live in a multidisciplinary and intellectually stimulating environment.

Currently, I am a Ph.D. researcher at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia (USA), where I work on Vaccine research and protein engineering to develop a Pan-Influenza vaccine technology under the supervision of Professor Kulp. I am also interested in the business and science intersection, patent law and the process of bringing scientific innovation into companies, to further this expertise I am part of a Life Science Innovation program at Wistar, and I am a member of the Penn Biotech Group at University of Pennsylvania.